SALEM, Ohio — As a subscriber to this magazine, you have likely succeeded in getting people to trust you with their travel plans and to recognize your tours and trips as safe, valuable and fun. In other words, you are an organizer, planner or leader of group trips and have a following of travelers in your community. Congratulations! Many people attempt to lead group trips for their friends or family, but only a few succeed.
You have developed a following of travelers, but your job has just begun. You now have the responsibility of selecting destinations and choosing tour operators, hotels and other tour suppliers that best fit your group’s needs. And you have to take care of your travelers 24/7 while on tour.
“A travel leader is a special person who has earned the trust of their friends and enjoys the service they provide their community,” said Charlie Presley of The Group Travel Family.
Most travel planners are volunteers. They’re the pied pipers of tourism who have developed travel groups as a hobby or a side hustle. That’s right: You are the original gig economy that is so popular today.
How do you keep getting better at your travel gig? Start by reading this magazine every month for destination insights and advice on serving your travelers.
Thousands of you also keep your skills sharp by attending conferences designed with you in mind. The Group Travel Family is an organization just for you, operating conferences that bring together travel planners and group leaders to network, discover new tours and keep up to speed on new technology.
As a group travel planner, you simply have to choose the meeting best suited for your group and let the magic begin. The conferences feature registration fees as low as $95. All include lodging, meals, sightseeing, networking and entertainment.
Stay on top of your travel gig by attending the Select Traveler Conference, the Going On Faith Conference, the African-American Travel Conference, Boomers in Groups or the Small Market Meetings Conference.
To start your travel conference experience, call Kacie at 800-628-0993 or visit the conference website www.grouptravelfamily.com.
